270 Min Run (push) --161.5--

LOS FELIZ/SILVER LAKE/GRIFFITH PARK -- Put in somewhere between 26.5 and 28.5. Did the 8-day-to-marathon plan, which I threw together in a super professional manner. The idea to run big run distance for no reason hit me around July and reading "Born to Run". So hat tip to that book and the author. Combined with the past three years of dramatically improved form, it was possible to do this without destroying every joint and tendon in my body. Nice.

Anywho, like a week back, it hit me to tie up March with a bad boy. And that it was. In the parlance of the LTLFM (Lazy Thursday Los Feliz Marathon), you do a base Dragon loop, then another Dragon with the addition of the Griffith Park hilltopper...the Snap Dragon loop, if you will. Hilly as all hell. Getting progressively hotter as time goes on. Four blessed "aid station" stops at the Pontiac Vibe water/almonds/shirts storage out in front of the building. And then, at Mile 22-23-24ish, you finish with a 1,000+ ft climb. And sister, it gets hot up there.



A few notes:

--Started late. Wanted to get out around 6 a.m., but ended up starting around 7:30a because of going to bed at 2 am getting some writing done.
--This was the hottest day of 2011. Bookended for a week on either side by mid-60s, this day was in the upper 80s. Crazy sun. Crazy heat. By the end, which was around noon, I was blowing through 16 oz waters every 10 mins.




--Took some good replenish time on the last aid station stop. And was good about getting good amounts of salted almonds down throughout the run.
--Absolutely drilled the sidewalk at about Mile 13 on Los Feliz Blvd. Lady with stroller ahead, I took a minute to think about passing and caught a sidewalk sniper. Totally smashed right knee and was lucky not to shred hands. Shouted profanity. Picked up pieces and leaked some oil. Sweat seemed to kind of cauterize the thing. Finished up with no local discomfort. Just general discomfort.
--Effing awesome

5 Min Run (ez) --161.5--

LOS FELIZ -- Just a quick little jog. As little as possible.

20 Min Run (base) --161.5--

LOS FELIZ -- Quickie recovery. Just fine. Good stuff.

94 Min Run (base) --158.5--

SILVER LAKE -- Instead of another reservoir, got it in my mind to do the Los Feliz Blvd loop and then another reservoir. Not a bad day, all in all. Stopped between loops to get some water. Very, very good move. Some almonds and salt as well. Felt pretty darn good afterward.

57 Min Run (base) --160.5--

SILVER LAKE -- Had to skip the weekend runs because of general exhaustion, some sniffles and foul weather. Had I followed the plan, I would have a lung infection. Anyway, got out with the intention of a double today. Started with an easy loop around the reservoir. Perfect clothing for conditions. Stayed warm, but not too hot.

Decided to take 90 mins for coffee, some light grub and then got back out.

56 Min Run (base) --159.5--

SILVER LAKE -- Got a reservoir run in before going to hoop with Joe Block. Pretty great. Cool day, easy pace. Enjoyable in every regard.

38 Min Run (base) --160--

LOS FELIZ -- Did the basic loop. Don't remember even a single step. Sat down after and fell asleep for an hour sitting up. Woke up in same position as Beck and Maggs got home from the school. Weird!

30 Min Run (base) --160--

LOS FELIZ -- Put on the full kit to run in the rain. Just didn't wanna be cold. This is the first of at least 8 runs in the next 9 days. Hotttttttt.

45 Min Run (base) --158--

LOS FELIZ -- Went up into the park for a quickie. Great weather out. Waiting for nuclear fallout from Japan to hit. Ugh.

50 Min Run (base)

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Went out to Camelback Ranch for the Dodgers Spring Training. Beck worked, met up with Joe B. who is on the play-by-play here and there. Generally had a fine time.

The city of Glendale is in a rather awful part of the landscape...flat and hot. Drainage ditches and a massive NFL stadium. You can see the idea of the developers to simply transform this space into a fun zone for adults, but it's just a bunch of junk jammed into a space where people probably shouldn't be living.

Amid all this, still got a fine run in. Love running around stadiums and the cool thing about Arizona is all the drainage ditches near the cities. So, assuming there are no fast moving storms, you can kind of tool around the highways and road system in these massive ditches.

Either way, it was just what the doctor ordered. Had taken some time off to rest the heel in a healthy phase. Still plan on getting 10+ this month.